Governance is managed through the Arctic Council – made up of eight states and Arctic Indigenous Peoples – and defined in a series of international laws and agreements.

The UK is the most northern country outside of the Arctic States and is a permanent Observer on the Council.

In 2012, the former MPs on the Committee suggested the government develop a strategy to bring together the UK’s diverse interests in the Arctic, following which it published a policy framework in 2013.

The EAC says since then the rate of environmental change has increased, resulting in the decline in sea ice coverage.

The inquiry will assess how the Arctic is changing, what this means for the UK and what the government has achieved through its policy framework. It will determine whether the framework is still fit for purpose in light of recent developments.